Celtic started their crown defense last week against St Mirren – the team that held them in the final game of the final sponsorship campaign.
Having this time to win stubborn friends due to the late goal, Brendan Rodgers’ side will also expect to receive some sort of revenge on the team that deprived the inner treble of the season in Hampden.
Like Celtic, the Scottish Cup winners play their second match of the season. The first ended with a 2-0 victory with a midlothian heart.
Aberdeen was heading to Edinburgh and their fans believing they had strengthened thanks to Jimmy Thelin’s summer construction. Celtic, in turn, reaches Pittodrie and some of their help suggesting their squad is, if there is anything, weaker than the one lost in the Scottish Cup final.
However, Hampden’s shootout won the side, Aberdeen’s record against Celtic was very scary and they had not hit the Glasgow side in their last 30 meetings.
Rodgers’ team was not cruel in Pittodrie on their last visit in May – their second 5-1 score against Dons in a row with their second win in series.
Indeed, Celtic has not lost in 17 Aberdeen’s tours since a 2-1 defeat in February 2016 and, despite returning to the final Cup and questions about the summer recruitment, will prefer to win their opening league game for the fourth consecutive season.
